Table mat



y 9, 1961 A. A. BIRNEY ETAL 2,983,069

TABLE MAT Flled June 25, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 7 J )1 ,NVENTORs ArthurABirney; Elijah B.PreHymonJr. Dclvld H.Semmes Dorothy J. Swarrz Joan Giasw ga a Patented May 9, 1961 United I States Patent Ofiice TABLE MAT Arthur A. Birney, 5905 Ramsgate Road, and Elijah B.

Prettyman, Jr., 5308 Ventnor Road, both of Washington 16, D.C.; David H. Semmes, Glen Road, Rockville, Md.; and Dorothy J. Swartz, T221 Arlington Towers, Arlington 9, Va.

Filed June 25, 1958, Ser. No. 744,461

2 Claims. (Cl. 45-6814) The present invention relates to furniture cover, particularly an improved table mat embodying an unifiedly changeable imprintation theme.

The present invention comprises a table mat matrix and a multi-sectional overlay removably attached thereto. The matrix and the overlay bear related thematic imprintations. Upon selective removal of overlay components exposed portions of the matrix and unremoved components of the overlay cooperate to provide an unified change of imprintation theme. Thus, as illustrated in the drawings herewith, a table mat matrix may have imprinted thereon Santa Claus in transit aboard a sleigh pulled by reindeer. The overlay may have imprinted thereon Santa Claus asleep before the fireplace in his workship. By selective removal of overlay components, Santa is caused to awaken and to change from his night shirt into working clothes; a pack filled with toys is caused to appear and upon removal of all overlay components, Santa is revealed in transit aboard his sleigh.

In the prior art numerous advertisers cards and pictorial devices have been developed wherein portions of a card or pictorial device have been alterable to reveal additional printed matter. This additional printed matter has been accessible through hinged apertures or in some cases through tearing out a segment of the overlaying piece. None of these devices, however, has had imprintation themes which were completely unifiedly changeable. None of these devices has been adapted for use in a table mat.

Accordingly, it is an object of invention to provide a table mat which has a unifiedly changeable imprintation theme.

Another object of invention is to provide in a table mat, an overlay having selectively removable components whereby upon removal of said components a unified change of imprintation theme is obtained.

Other objects and advantages of invention will become apparent from the following description and attached drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a schematic view showing the table mat overlay, constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary schematic view of the table mat matrix;

Fig. 3 is a schematic view of the table mat overlay and matrix juxtaposition, Santa Claus face, removable component No. 1 of the overlay, having been removed, revealing Santa Claus awakened. I

Fig. 4- is a sectional view taken along section line 4-4 of Fig. 3 and showing the table mat matrix, protective coating, overlay and hinged cover in juxtaposition.

In Fig. 2 thematically imprinted matrix illustrates Santa Claus in transit aboard a sleigh pulled by reindeer. In Fig. 1 the table mat overlay 16 is shown as having removable components numbered 1 through 7, respectively. A protective transparent covering 22 may be attached to matrix 16 by means of hinge 20, etfectively shielding matrix 10 and overlay 16 and providing a washable exterior.

By removal of the overlay components once per day or at other intervals during the week before Christmas, a child user may be afiorded an interesting change of theme and the anticipation of Christmas will be enhanced accordingly. As will be apparent, educational themes and other recreational themes may be employed according to the instant invention. Because of the utility of the device during childrens meals, various agricultural and domestic themes suggest themselves.

luxtapositioning of the table mat elements is illustrated in Fig. 4. Table mat matrix 10 may be constructed of Bristol board and thematically imprinted according to conventional printing methods. A protective, transparent vinyl or varnish coating 12 may be conventionally applied. Cover hinge 20 may be embedded in matrix coating 12, as at 14. Table mat overlay 16 removable components may be fastened to matrix coating 12 by means of a frictionally removable mucilage. Either rubber-base or Wax base cements may be employed for this purpose. 7

Matrix overlay 16 may be constructed of paper and thematically printed according to conventional methods. Removable components may be outlined by perforations or the like. Experience teaches that use of the device by children will necessitate the expendability of overlay components. Therefore, a table mat constructed according to. the present invention might have several differently imprinted overlays, each cooperable with the single matrix imprintation theme. Manifestly, a table mat constructed according to the present invention might be attached to a wall or other surface for pictorial display purposes.

It is to be understood that the form of invention, herewith shown and described, is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in imprintation themes as well as in the shape, size and arrangement of removable components may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of the instant invention, or the scope of the subjoined claims. Whereas, the invent-ion is described herein in its application as a table mat, it will be apparent that the invention is applicable to other types of furniture cover as well as pictorial display devices, for example, advertising and greeting cards, wall charts, decalcomania, maps, black boards and the like.

Having thus described our invention wev claim:

1. A table mat comprising a matrix having thematic imprintations and a single overlay therefor including removable components, having thematic imprintations cooperably related to said thematic imprintations of said matrix, at least a portion of said overlay being adherable to a corresponding portion of said matrix, imprintations of said matn'x continuously cooperating with related imprintations of said overlay whereby upon selective removal of said overlay components a unified uninterrupted change of imprintation theme may be obtained.

2. The table mat according to claim 1 in which corresponding adherable portions of the matrix and the overlay are retained by an adhesive bond.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,285,401 Sainberg Nov. 19, 1918 1,798,647 Anthony Mar. 31, 1931 r 1,816,353 Anderson July 28, 1931 1,942,287 Heitz Ian. 2, 1934 2,694,264 Seaton Nov. 16, 1954 

